Anti-spill drinking apparatus

ABSTRACT

An anti-spill drinking straw and cap assembly for use with a beverage container is disclosed. The assembly includes a drinking straw and receptacle cover having a substantially sealed interface, either by interference fit or thermal or chemically fused attachment to provide an anti-spill sealed interface. According to either embodiment, the straw-and-cap assembly is readily adapted to be used with any container having either a full-rim opening, or an opening such as that defined by a scored region or other predetermined opening provided within the top surface of the cap removed by a pull-tab or push-through structure either central to or eccentric with a central portion of the top surface. The drinking straw and cap may be provided as an assembly for use with any receptacle configured to receive it, with standard or custom sized openings. The cap may include a threaded engagement collar for engagement with a corresponding threaded collars common to many standard-sized beverage containers, or may include a snap-fit collar for universal attachment to like-sized containers. The assembly may include orifices/straws that are positioned either centrally or offset from a center point of the cap, to be readily received and affixed to open containers, or in an offset relationship corresponding to offset “pop-top” or push-through openings of soda cans, juice boxes, or other containers of various shapes such as square or rectangular with either central or offset openings where a discrete opening is provided.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] not applicable

STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT

[0002] not applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] 1. Field of the Invention

[0004] The present invention relates to straws for dispensing fluids, and more particularly to an anti-spill drinking straw for use with receptacles and containers having dispensing openings through which a foodstuff such as a beverage is to be dispensed.

[0005] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0006] The related art includes various configurations of individual beverage receptacles, such as beverage bottles, cans, and cartons, each having a top-side opening for direct dispensing or for accommodating a drinking straw. The top-side opening may be concentric with the circular opening common to most bottles, or concentric with or offset from a central top-surface opening provided in the top surface of square or rectangular beverage containers. In any such configuration, and according to the related art, a drinking straw may be may be inserted into the top-side opening and projected into the contents therein to extract by sucking a desired volume of contents from the container, the straw remaining loosely positioned within the periphery of the top-side opening. Straws conventionally used in this manner are typically provided separately and apart from the beverage receptacle. In other configurations, the drinking straw may be provided in a separate sealed plastic envelope, optionally affixed to the beverage receptacle.

[0007] In any case, however, a well known but heretofore unsatisfactorily addressed problem is the absence of an effective sealing fit between the loose straw and the top-side opening in the beverage receptacle with which it is to be used. Accordingly, a perennial problem in the art is a failure to prevent leakage or unintended dispensation when the receptacle is tilted or upended due to the loose fit between the straw and the container opening through which it projects. This problem is especially well known by parents of young children, who must remain ever vigilant for the wayward juice or soda container with which a loose drinking straw is used, which is at risk of spillage. This risk is further increased by the fact that a high percentage of such beverages are consumed by children, individuals that may lack some degree of hand coordination, or the genuinely clumsy. This, of course, is not desirable or a game to the parent. The problem of spillage may be exacerbated when the receptacle is used in mobile environments, such as during car or boat travel, or even in the instance where a consumer wishes to carry a partially consumed beverage in a backpack or other container that has means for maintaining the receptacle in a generally upright position (but without means for preventing sloshing and spillage in the manner described above). Further, the problem remains of unconsumed contents, and the propensity for those contents to be spilled, during or after consumption or upon disposal of the receptacle due to the unsealed receptacle opening. Yet a further problem presented by the unsealed opening of conventional container-and-straw combinations even when a straw has been received therein, is the possibility of undesirable and unintended introduction of debris, insects, or other environmental elements.

[0008] Packages such as the beverage container having a self-contained pop-up drinking straw shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,431,382 to Li include the containment of a straw in the nature of containers known as “juice boxes”, whereby the straw is sealingly affixed to the container, and is neither separately provided nor is a separately provided straw usable therewith. However, most beverage containers are not provided in this form, and do not provide a drinking straw that overcomes the problems described above.

[0009] Accordingly, there is a need for an anti-spill drinking straw that is adapted for use with conventional beverage bottles, cans and so-called juice boxes, and that overcomes the disadvantages of the related art. There is a further need for an anti-spill drinking apparatus adapted to use conventional straws and container tops, in a readily available and usable configuration, at low cost and suitable for the disposable market place. There is yet further need for an anti-spill drinking straw that is hygienic in its application and which substantially maintains the contents of the container in hygienic condition.

[0010] Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a solution to these well-known but heretofore insufficiently addressed shortcomings of the related art.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a drinking straw with anti-spill qualities in connection with a beverage container with which it is to be used.

[0012] It is another object of the present invention to provide an anti-spill straw adapted for use with conventionally shaped beverage containers.

[0013] It is a further object of the present invention to provide an anti-spill straw that substantially maintains the contents of the container in hygienic condition during and after consumption of the contents of the container.

[0014] It is another object of the present invention to provide an anti-spill straw that may be provided at relatively cost and is suitable for the disposable market place.

[0015] These and other objects and advantages are obtained with an anti-spill drinking straw that overcomes the limitations of the prior art by providing a drinking straw and receptacle cover interface having a substantially sealed interface according to the disclosed embodiments. According to a first embodiment, a conventional drinking straw having an industry standard outer diameter is projected through and retained within a corresponding orifice with a slip fit/interference fit therebetween after the straw has been received within a grommet fitted to the orifice. According to this embodiment, the straw may alternatively be sealed to the cap by thermal or chemical fusing. In either embodiment, the cap is readily applied to any container to which it is sized to be sealingly affixed. According to another embodiment, the drinking straw and cap are provided as a preassembled product, optionally individually or bulk packaged, for use with any receptacle configured to receive it. The cap may include a threaded engagement collar corresponding to threaded collars common to many beverage containers, or alternatively, may include a snap-fit collar for universal attachment to like-sized containers. It is contemplated that such assemblies may include orifices/straws that are positioned either centrally or offset to the top of the cap, to be readily received and affixed to common open containers (typically circular) where either central or offset drinking straw placement is desirable or accepted, or in an offset relationship corresponding to offset “pop-top” openings of soda cans or the like. The assemblies may be configured for use with containers of any size or shape. While cylindrical drink containers are most commonly available, other container shapes such as square or rectangular with either central or offset openings may be accommodated with the apparatus of the present invention.

[0016] The invention will be better understood upon a reading of the following specification, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017]FIG. 1 is a partial side elevational view of an upper portion of an assembly of a beverage container and cap/straw assembly according to the present invention.

[0018]FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of the assembly shown in FIG. 1, further showing a fused assembly of the cap and straw assembly.

[0019]FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the assembly shown in FIG. 1, further showing an assembly of the cap and straw assembly secured with a friction fit via a grommet.

[0020]FIG. 4 is a partial side elevational view of an upper portion of an assembly of a beverage container and cap/straw assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention, showing an alternatively-sized cap for assembly with a drinking straw.

[0021]FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the cap/straw assembly of one embodiment of the invention, showing the orifice/straw provided in an offset location of the cap to be secured in opposing, mating configuration with an offset opening provided in a common beverage container.

[0022]FIG. 6 is a partial side elevational view of the assembly shown in FIG. 5, illustrating the inventive cap/straw assembly in the fully installed condition, the straw secured to the cap with the grommet interface.

[0023]FIG. 7 is a partial side elevational view of the assembly shown in FIG. 5, illustrating the inventive cap/straw assembly in the fully installed condition, the straw secured to the cap with the fused interface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] With reference now to the drawings, and according to the present invention, FIG. 1 illustrates a first embodiment of an anti-spill drinking straw and cap assembly 10 of the present invention. The assembly 10 includes a drinking straw 12 having a proximate drinking end 12(a) and a distal suction end 12(b) that is projected through and secured within a port 13 provided in a cap 14, which in turn is configured to be secured to the mouth or opening 16 of a container 18 such as a beverage container containing a beverage or other foodstuff within cavity 20 of the container 18 by threaded connection or snap fit in the manner to be more fully described below.

[0025] With particular attention now to FIGS. 2 and 3, two embodiments of the securing arrangement of the drinking straw 12 to and through the cap 14 via port 13 will be described. As described above, an important aspect of the present invention is providing means to substantially seal the drinking straw 12 within port 13 when the cap 14 is secured to container 18. Cap 14 as shown in FIG. 2 includes a top planar surface 22 extending to and bounded by flange 24 oriented substantially perpendicular to the plane of top surface 22. Flange 24 includes a threaded region 26 formed about its radially inward surface for engaging a corresponding threaded region provided adjacent the mouth or opening 16 of container 18 to which it is to be secured. Alternatively, the flange 24 may be provided with a shoulder or lip (not shown) for engaging the threaded region 26 or other engagement structure provided adjacent the mouth or opening 16 of container 18. It will be appreciated that the selected engagement structure will provide a substantially leak-proof seal. The outer periphery 27 of the flange 24 may be textured as by ribs or knurling for enhancing attachment/detachment of the cap to the container 18.

[0026] According to the invention and as shown in FIG. 2, drinking straw 12 is received in port 13 with a sliding fit through a internal sleeve 28 formed coextensive with the port 13 provided at the underside of cap 14 and extending into the cavity defined by the top planar surface 22 and flange 24. The annular inner periphery of internal sleeve 28 substantially engages a longitudinal extent 29 of the periphery of the drinking straw 12 with a snug, interference fit after the drinking straw 12 is projected through port 13 and internal sleeve 28 to a depth sufficient to position the distal end 12(b) of the drinking straw 12 proximate to a lower portion of the container 18 with which the assembly 10 is selected to be used. As will be appreciated by the skilled artisan, the relative projection of the distal end 12(b) of the drinking straw 12 may be preestablished and then secured in place utilizing a bonding process in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, molded in place with the cap 14 according to another aspect of the invention to a preselected projection determined by the anticipated application (i.e. height of the container 18 with which it is to be used), or allowed to be slidably adjustable through the internal sleeve 28 by the user.

[0027] According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, drinking straw 12 is concurrently projected through port 13 and internal sleeve 28 to position the distal end 12(b) of drinking straw 12 close to the floor of container 18, avoiding substantial contact with the floor that could cause blockage or crimping of the distal end 12(b) or lower portion of the straw 12. The drinking straw 12 is then fixed to the internal sleeve 28, either by application of a bead of an adhesive 32, a pre-shaped adhesive element, or by thermal fusing between the periphery 29 and internal sleeve 28, to establish a leak-proof barrier between the top and bottom surfaces of the cap 14. As the apparatus is intended for use with consumable foodstuffs, it will be apparent that the adhesive 32 has a non-toxic composition.

[0028] As also shown in FIG. 2, and to further secure a leak-proof barrier, a downwardly extending annular ring 30 may be optionally provided at the underside of the cap 14 in coaxial alignment with the internal sleeve 28, and may be sized to provide a mating face 31 directly opposed to an open, upwardly extending portion of the opening of the container 18 with which the assembly of the present invention is to be used. Alternatively, the annular ring 30 may be sized and positioned to nestingly engage either radially internally or externally with the opening of the container 18 to form a labyrinth seal therebetween when the cap 14 is fully engaged with the opening 16 of the container 18. It will be appreciated that although the port 13 and coextensive internal sleeve 28 are shown and described as being normal to the plane of the top surface 22 of cap 14, it is contemplated that the internal sleeve 28 may be provided at an acute angle to direct the distal end 12(b) to a position axially offset from the centerline of the container 18. The port 13 would likewise be sized and shaped to accommodate the drinking straw 12 therethrough. The acute angle “A” shown in FIG. 1 is contemplated to range from normal to the plane of the cap 14 to about 45 degrees therefrom, although it is contemplated that greater acute angles may be employed such as when the assembly 10 of the present invention is used in connection with a container 18 having a small aspect ratio such as would be found with a relatively short, squat shape, with a wide diameter relative to the height of the container.

[0029] As will be further appreciated, the port 13/internal sleeve 28 may be provided at a position offset from the centerline of a circular cap and container assembly, and either a normal or angular offset of the straw positioning may be achieved in the manner described above. For example, such offset positioning may be applicable for use of the inventive assembly 10 with soda cans typically having radially offset openings. For a cap configured for use with a container having a non-circular engagement surface, such as a rectangular “juice box” or the like, the cap-and-drinking-straw assembly 10 of the present invention is equally useful, whereby the port 13 may be centrally or non-centrally positioned, and whereby the annular ring 30 may be optionally provided. It is contemplated that the annular ring 30 may be used for puncturing a flexible membrane at the top surface of such container and then being partially projected therethrough to provide a baffle effect for the semi-rigid cardboard-like material commonly used with so-called juice boxes when the assembly 10 of the present invention is in the fully installed condition.

[0030] With reference now to FIG. 3, another embodiment of the invention includes cap-and-drinking-straw assembly 40, in which the drinking straw 12 is secured to cap 14 by a sealing grommet 42 having a top annular flange 44 from which a coextensive annular sleeve 46 extends downwardly through port 13 to substitute for the internal sleeve 28 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2. The sealing grommet 42 may be comprised of a highly flexible composition that provides a leak-resistant or even leak-proof seal while allowing for selective installation and positioning adjustment of the drinking straw 12. Alternatively, the sealing grommet 42 may be bonded to the straw 12 by adhesive or chemical bonding methods described above. Furthermore, the sealing grommet 42 may be provide with normal or angular orientations as also described above.

[0031] With reference to FIG. 4, the screw-top configuration provided in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 is replaced with a snap-lid cap 50 having a top surface 51 supporting a flange 52 provided with a lip or shoulder 54 for positively engaging with a corresponding thread or shoulder provided on container 56. Either the internal sleeve of assembly 10 or grommet of assembly 40 may be employed in this embodiment. As will also be apparent to the skilled artisan, the various embodiments of the present invention may be incorporated in caps 14, 50 having different sizes, diameters, or flange measurements and proportions, in either the threaded or snap-lid configurations, and with either an internal sleeve or grommet drinking straw engagement.

[0032] With reference to FIGS. 5-7, it will be further apparent that the snap-lid configuration is particularly suitable for use with a standard 12 ounce soft-drink can 60 having a top rolled shoulder 62 that readily supports snap-lid cap 50. In this instance, a radially offset container opening is common to “pop-top” soft drink cans and the like. Accordingly, a cap 50 of the present invention readily accommodates a drinking straw 12 in this radially-offset position in the manner previously described. It will be appreciated that cap 50 may be provided with an internal sleeve 28, or with a grommet 42 as described above.

[0033] Common to all configurations, however, and according to an important aspect of the present invention, however, is the important feature that any cap-and-straw arrangement herein described and claimed may be preassembled, distributed and marketed separately (and packaged either individually or in bulk) from any beverage container with which it is to be ultimately used. For the embodiments enabling slidable engagement/disengagement of the drinking straw 12 with a corresponding cap 14, 50, standard sized drinking straws 12 may be separately procured for use with a cap 14, 50, and indeed, the caps 14, 50 may be either reused or disposed of at the user's discretion. According to any of the disclosed embodiments, the caps may be fabricated of polypropylene or other material suitable for high-speed, low cost injection molded production that supports the leak-resistant sealing features of any embodiments of the present invention. Similarly, the sealing grommet 42 may be comprised of a low-cost elastomeric, chemically inert composition suitable for food service purposes, which is amenable to disposable use.

[0034] It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims. 

We claim:
 1. A container cap and drinking straw assembly, the assembly comprising: a cap having a top surface and an undersurface, the cap adapted for use with a container supporting a quantity of a flowable foodstuff in a concavity thereof, the cap including an access port, the cap further being removably securable to the container about an opening adjacent to the concavity, and a drinking straw having a proximate drinking end and a distal suction end, the straw being adapted to be projected through the access port and sealingly retained within the access port with the distal suction end concurrently positioned within the concavity, wherein a peripheral aspect of the straw and adjacently mounted access port are assembled and secured in a substantially leakproof configuration.
 2. The container cap and straw assembly as recited in claim 1, further comprising: a seal between the straw and the access port, for sealing the container cap between the top surface and the undersurface of the cap.
 3. The container cap and straw assembly as recited in claim 2, further comprising: a straw receiving sleeve secured to the access port for receiving the peripheral aspect of the straw.
 4. The container cap and straw assembly as recited in claim 3, wherein the straw receiving sleeve extends from the undersurface of the cap toward the concavity of the container.
 5. The container cap and straw assembly as recited in claim 4, wherein the straw receiving sleeve extends in a range of about zero degrees to about 45 degrees normal to the plane of the container cap.
 6. The container cap and straw assembly as recited in claim 3, wherein the sleeve is integrally formed with the container cap.
 7. The container cap and straw assembly as recited in claim 6, further comprising a fusible seal provided between the sleeve and a circumferential aspect of the straw supported in opposing position therewith.
 8. The container cap and straw assembly as recited in claim 7, wherein the fusible seal is selected from the group including a thermally induced melt seal, and an adhesive seal.
 9. The container cap and straw assembly as recited in claim 3, wherein the sleeve is a sealing grommet at least a portion of which is secured within the recess defined by the access port, and an outer circumferential periphery of the sealing grommet forming a leakproof seal with the access port, and an inner circumferential periphery of the sealing grommet forming a leakproof seal with a periphery of the drinking straw.
 10. The container cap and straw assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the cap has a container-engaging collar, the collar having a securing structure adapted for engaging the container opening with a substantially sealed engagement.
 11. The container cap and straw assembly as recited in claim 10, wherein the securing structure is a threaded structure.
 12. The container cap and straw assembly as recited in claim 10, wherein the securing structure is a lip.
 13. The container cap and straw assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the cap-engaging portion of the container has a shape, and the container cap has a complementary shape.
 14. The container cap and straw assembly as recited in claim 13, wherein the access port is symmetrically or asymmetrically positioned relative to the top surface of the container cap.
 15. The container cap and straw assembly as recited in claim 1, further comprising a flange extending from the underside of the container cap, the flange substantially sealingly engaging with a circumferential aspect of the container opening when the container cap is fully engaged with the container to achieve concurrent plural sealed engagements between the assembly and container.
 16. A modular container cap and drinking straw assembly for use with a container having a concavity for supporting a quantity of a flowable foodstuff, the modular assembly comprising: a cap having a top surface and an undersurface coextensive with and extending to a collar for engaging the container to encompass an opening to the concavity, the cap including an access port, and a drinking straw having a drinking end and a suction end, an intermediate peripheral aspect of the straw projecting through the access port being sealingly supported within a sleeve immediately adjacent to the access port in a substantially leakproof configuration with the suction end positioned within the concavity when the modular assembly is secured to the container.
 17. The container cap and straw assembly as recited in claim 16, further comprising: a seal for sealingly locating the straw within the access port.
 18. The container cap and straw assembly as recited in claim 17, wherein the sleeve is set at an angle relative to the plane of the container cap.
 19. The container cap and straw assembly as recited in claim 17, wherein the straw receiving sleeve extends from the undersurface of the cap toward the concavity of the container.
 20. The container cap and straw assembly as recited in claim 16, wherein the straw receiving sleeve extends in a range of about zero degrees to about 45 degrees normal to the plane of the container cap.
 21. The container cap and straw assembly as recited in claim 16, wherein the sleeve is integrally formed with the container cap.
 22. The container cap and straw assembly as recited in claim 16, further comprising a fusible seal provided between the sleeve and a circumferential aspect of the straw supported in opposing position therewith.
 23. The container cap and straw assembly as recited in claim 22, wherein the fusible seal is selected from the group including a thermally induced melt seal, and an adhesive seal.
 24. The container cap and straw assembly as recited in claim 16, wherein the sleeve is a sealing grommet at least a portion of which is secured within the recess defined by the access port, and an outer circumferential periphery of the sealing grommet forming a leakproof seal with the access port, and an inner circumferential periphery of the sealing grommet forming a leakproof seal with a periphery of the drinking straw.
 25. The container cap and straw assembly as recited in claim 16, wherein the cap-engaging portion of the container has a shape, and the container cap has a complementary shape.
 26. The container cap and straw assembly as recited in claim 16, wherein the access port is symmetrically or asymmetrically positioned relative to the top surface of the container cap.
 27. The container cap and straw assembly as recited in claim 16, further comprising a flange extending from the underside of the container cap, the flange substantially sealingly engaging with a circumferential aspect of the container opening when the container cap is fully engaged with the container to achieve concurrent plural sealed engagements between the assembly and container.
 28. A container cap for use with a drinking straw and a container having a concavity for supporting a quantity of a flowable foodstuff, the container cap comprising: a straw-supporting sleeve, and a top surface and an undersurface coextensive with and extending to a collar for engaging the container to encompass an opening to the concavity, the cap including an access port for supporting in sealing engagement an intermediate aspect of the straw projecting through the access port within the sleeve positioned immediately adjacent to the access port.
 29. The container cap recited in claim 28, further comprising: a seal for sealingly locating the straw within the access port via the sleeve.
 30. The container cap as recited in claim 28, wherein the sleeve is set at an angle relative to the plane of the container cap.
 31. The container cap recited in claim 28, wherein the straw receiving sleeve extends from the undersurface of the cap toward the concavity of the container with which it is to be secured.
 32. The container cap as recited in claim 28, wherein the straw receiving sleeve extends in a range of about zero degrees to about 45 degrees normal to the plane of the container cap.
 33. The container cap as recited in claim 28, wherein the sleeve is integrally formed with the container cap.
 34. The container cap as recited in claim 33, further comprising a fusible seal to be provided between the sleeve and a circumferential aspect of the straw supported in opposing position therewith.
 35. The container cap as recited in claim 33, wherein the fusible seal is selected from the group including a thermally induced melt seal, and an adhesive seal.
 36. The container cap as recited in claim 28, wherein the sleeve is a sealing grommet at least a portion of which is secured within the recess defined by the access port, and an outer circumferential periphery of the sealing grommet forming a leakproof seal with the access port, and an inner circumferential periphery of the sealing grommet forming a leakproof seal with a periphery of a drinking straw installed therewith.
 37. The container cap as recited in claim 28, wherein the container cap has a shape complementary to a cap-engaging portion of the container with which it is to be secured.
 38. The container cap as recited in claim 28, wherein the access port is symmetrically or asymmetrically positioned relative to the top surface of the container cap.
 39. The container cap as recited in claim 28, further comprising a flange extending from the underside of the container cap, the flange substantially sealingly engaging with a circumferential aspect of a container opening in the fully engaged position with the container to achieve concurrent plural sealed engagements between the container cap and container. 